Have you always wanted to publish a book at Barnes & Noble? Now you can with a new pilot program offering print-on-demand at three of our locations. Produce a professional-quality print book that's fast and easy to make -- and printed right in the store!

General Questions

What is Barnes & Noble's Print Books on Demand service?

Print Books on Demand is an in store printing service that allows you to make a physical print book of a hard-to-find book, a Public Domain title or your own self-published book. You can find Books on Demand services in select Barnes & Noble locations.

What does the Espresso Book Machine® do?

The Espresso Book Machine® is a compact book printing system that allows a single book to be printed and bound in a matter of minutes.

Where can I find the Print Books on Demand service in stores?

The Print Books on Demand service will debut at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square, NYC, Paramus, NJ and Willow Grove, PA.

Will the Print Books on Demand service be in more stores?

The service is currently planned for just these three stores.

Why is Barnes & Noble offering the Print Books on Demand service?

Barnes & Noble wants to offer the customer immediate access to as many print books as possible. The service allows us to offer millions of hard- to- find or "out-of-print" physical books instantly.

What type of books can I get printed using the Print Books on Demand service?

The Espresso Book Machine® prints color or black and white paperback books as well as photobooks.

Can I print color books?

Yes. The Espresso Book Machine® prints books in black and white or color.

What size books can I print?

You can print any trim size between 4.5"w x 5"h and 8"w x 10"h. The minimum page count is 40 and the maximum is 800.Standard book trim sizes are:

5" x 8"

5.5" x 8.5"

6"x 9"

7.5" x 9.25"

7" x 10"

8" x 10"

For books printed on photo paper, the minimum page count is 16 and the maximum page count is 650.

How quickly can I receive my Print Books on Demand book?

Books will be available to pick up between 1 and 3 days or sooner if the print queue is shorter. Bulk orders may take longer.

Do I have to make an appointment to print my book at Barnes & Noble?

No, but you do have to make an appointment for a consultation with a bookseller. During a consultation, the bookseller will review your Word or PDF files for technical and formatting modifications.

Can I submit my files in-store on a USB or CD?

We can upload your print-ready PDF interior and cover file into the Espresso Book Machine® from a USB/Thumb drive. If you do not have a thumb drive, you can email the files to the store if they are under 25 MB. For files over 25 MB, DropBox.com or Google Drives can be used. Ask a bookseller about how to email files to the pilot locations.

How much does it cost to make a Print Book on Demand in the store?

The cost of creating a book from the Print Book on Demand service depends on the type of book you are printing. For hard-to-find or Public Domain titles, there is a fixed list price for each title. Ask your bookseller for information about a particular title.

For self-published books, the cost will depend on the length of your book and whether or not you are printing in black and white, color, or printing a photo book.

There are six print set-up packages with Print Books on Demand.

1. Basic $19: Best for small orders, this package offers one print run and lets you print as many copies as you choose to purchase.

2. Archival $49: Best for multiple printings of one book, this is a one-time-only fee for printing at one location. The store will save your file so you can come back at any time to print additional copies. One proof copy is provided to review before the full order prints. There is no charge for this proof copy and no extra charge for revisions.

3. Basic Self-Publishing $79: Best for first-time author, this includes everything in the Archival package above. This package also includes a free paperback copy of The Barnes & Noble Print Books On Demand Formatting and Submissions Guide that will help you professionally format your book, a text-only cover chosen from multiple template options, and a 30 minute consultation in-store for formatting and technical modifications (call to schedule an appointment).

4. Intermediate Self-Publishing $119: Best for seasoned authors, this includes everything in the Archival package above. This package also includes a free paperback copy of The Barnes & Noble Print Books On Demand Formatting and Submissions Guide that will help you professionally format your book, a text with floating illustrations cover chosen from multiple template options, and a 60 minute consultation in-store for formatting and technical modifications (call to schedule an appointment).

5. Deluxe Self-Publishing $399: Best for authors who want to sell their book in Barnes & Noble stores, this includes everything in the Intermediate Self-Publishing package above. This package also includes a full-bleed cover option (color or images that stretch past the trim of the front or back cover), a NOOK Press ISBN, and barcode. A copy of your book will be printed and submitted to the Barnes & Noble Small Press Department to evaluate for possible in-store placement. You will not be charged for this copy.

6. Custom Blank Books $19: This print package allows you to print a notebook with either blank pages, lined pages, or sheet music pages. This package also includes a custom cover, which you can chose from multiple template options.

Once you select your set up package, you can calculate the cost of your book based on the format you select.

Are there discounts for larger volume orders?

Yes, there is a 10% discount for single print runs of 50-99 books and a 15% discount for single print runs of 100 or more books.

Does my Membership discount apply to these orders?

Your Membership discount applies to the purchase of hard-to-find books and Public Domain titles. Membership discount does not apply to the printing fee associated with these purchases. Membership discount does not apply to print package fees and book printing fees.

Self-published Books

Can I print self-published books on the Espresso Book Machine®?

Yes. We require a print-ready PDF for both the text and cover. Please see our submission and Formatting Guide for interior text and cover file specifications.

How do I print my book on the Espresso Book Machine® at Barnes & Noble?

Bring your appropriately formatted text and cover PDF files on a USB drive to one of the Barnes & Noble stores with an Espresso Book Machine® and a bookseller will help you through the printing process.

If my book is already in the On Demand Books catalog, can I print it out?

Yes. You can purchase most books that are available for distribution from the On Demand Books catalog.

If I print a self-published book, will Barnes & Noble sell it in the store?

You can purchase the Deluxe Self-Publishing package to have a copy of your book submitted to the Small Press Department to evaluate for in-store placement. There is no guarantee your book will be placed in-store. You may sell the books you print outside of Barnes & Noble.

Are there any restrictions to the books I can print?

Barnes & Noble is under no obligation to print or manufacture any book or material. If in Barnes & Noble's reasonable opinion, a book or material is obscene, libelous or otherwise infringes upon the right of any person, Barnes & Noble is under no obligation to print or manufacture the book or material.

Do I need an ISBN to print on demand?

No. If you have one you're welcome to include it on your printed book but it is not necessary.

Do I need a copyright page?

No. Under U.S. copyright law, your self-published work is protected as soon as you put pen to paper. Copyright is based on your creative authorship and is not dependent on any formal agreement with a book publisher or self-publishing company. Copyright registration with the U.S. Copyright Office allows you a higher level of security and confidence when it comes to protecting your work, but again, it is not necessary.

Can I print Public Domain books?

Yes. Through the Print Books on Demand service, there are millions of Public Domain and out-of-print books that are available to be printed in the store.

If I have a self-published ebook on sale via NOOK Press, can I print it out on the Espresso Book Machine®?

Yes, but you will need a print-ready PDF of your book and cover. Please see our Formatting Guide for more information.

Book Formatting

What size book can I print?

You can print any trim size between 4.5"w x 5"h and 8"w x 10"h. The minimum page count is 40 and the maximum is 800. Standard book trim sizes are:

5" x 8"

5.5" x 8.5"

6"x 9"

7.5" x 9.25"

7" x 10"

8" x 10"

For books printed on photo paper, the minimum page count is 16 and the maximum page count is 650.

Can I print in color?

Yes. Both the cover of your book and interior pages can be printed in color as long as you provide color images in the file.

What paper stocks are available?

How should I format my cover?

Your book cover needs to be a separate print-ready PDF file. The cover file consists of three elements: the front, spine, and back, which are created as separate files, but then pulled together as a single PDF. See our Formatting Guide for more information on how to format your cover.

How many pages can my book be?

Your book must be between 40 pages and 800 pages. For books printed on photo paper the page minimum is 16 and maximum is 650 pages.

Can I print photos or illustrations in my book?

Yes. Your book can include interior images in black & white or color. Images need to be high quality so they will print out well. For best results, images must be at least 300 dpi. Please see our Formatting Guide for exact image specifications.

Can I get my book in hardcover?

No. The Espresso Book Machine® only produces paperback books.

Are there formatting tools I can access?

Yes. We have a complete Formatting Guide, how-to videos, and MS Word templates for interior and cover formatting on this page.

File Creation

What do I need to create a Print on Demand book at Barnes & Noble?

To print a book with Barnes & Noble, you will need to have print-ready files for both the book interior and cover. A print-ready file is a PDF (Portable Document Format) file, with certain formatting rules applied. Our Formatting Guide provides the details you need to create a print-ready PDF.

Can I print a book from a Microsoft Word (or other word processor) file?

You will need to convert your word processor files into a print-ready PDF document. Check out our Formatting Guide for instructions on how to properly format your files. We also offer templates in a variety of trim sizes (using Microsoft Word) to help you with the formatting process. There are templates for both interior and cover files. We do offer a $19 Microsoft Word to PDF/X-1a conversion in-store.

Do you have templates that I can use to help me format my text and cover?

Yes. We have downloadable templates you can use for formatting your interior text and book cover in a variety of trim sizes on this page. See within the downloadable documents instructions on how to use the templates and to download the templates.

What picture files are supported?

Your book can include interior images in black & white or color. It's important to use images with a high enough resolution so that they will print out crisp and sharp. We recommend saving images at 300 dpi (dots per inch) or higher.

What resolution should picture files be in?

We recommend saving images at 300 dpi (dots per inch) or higher.

Can you convert my Word File for me?

If your file is otherwise formatted, we do offer a $19 Microsoft Word to PDF/X-1a conversion. We cannot prepare your print-ready file for you outside of converting the file you set up. Our Formatting Guide also provides a robust set of easy instructions for generating this file yourself. During our pre-printing process, we will review your final PDF to make sure it will successfully print.

Can I get help making my book?

We offer consultations for formatting and technical modifications. Consultations cost $20 for every 30 minutes. You must provide prepped files to review and edit, and you must be present for the consultation. Consultations do not include proofreading, copyright creation, or cover assembly. A variety of pre-press packages include a consultation. Talk to your bookseller for more information about these packages and how to get started.